12. Typhon

12

TYPHON

O nce we arrived at the hospital, I told Eliza to go inside and I'd wait. When she argued, I reminded her she didn't have transportation back to London, and at the very least, she should attempt to find out everything she could about Harper's surgery and condition, then decide what to do.

I didn't tell her, but worst-case scenario, I'd make the hour drive to Shere and find somewhere to bunk. There were phone calls and messages requiring my response, and if he was available, I wanted to talk to Z. It was also time I checked in on Oleander, Verity, and Delfino.

After making Hornet a permanent member of Unit 23 as of the first of the year, I planned to wait until the second quarter to extend the same offer to Verity. For now, though, her expertise wasn't as essential to my unit as it was to the human trafficking investigation taking place at the command center. Thus, I'd agreed she could remain on temporary loan to the coalition until such time as she was needed for one of our missions.

Not that anyone outside my team would know what our missions entailed. Our very existence was often questioned— with the exception of the highest-ranking MI6 agents, most of whom were currently serving on one of the UN's task forces.

Shortly after I joined Unit 23, reports of a secretive branch of the UK SAS known as Squadron W hit the mainstream press. According to the exposé, soldiers—meaning active-duty military personnel—carried out sanctioned high-value targeting and other "incredibly dangerous and elusive tasks."

Firstly, no active-duty military had ever or would ever be part of the unit. Although there were many former armed service personnel in our ranks, myself included. But it wasn't a requirement.

While the bulk of what was contained in the "information leak," as it was referred to, was either vague or incorrect, particularly the nomenclature, other points were somewhat accurate.

As far as the name of the "squadron," the logical correlation was that W was the twenty-third letter of the alphabet, which in itself was a stretch. Why report on us at all, then codify our name?

More, when I read the words "incredibly dangerous and elusive tasks," I wondered whether the article had been written by someone still in secondary school. We did carry out such work, but the phrases used hardly scratched the surface of the danger my unit faced on a daily basis.

More indistinct mentions like threat monitoring, agent running, and intelligence gathering were sprinkled in. Again, none posed a threat to revealing either the unit or the actual work we did.

However, there were two specific missions written in such detail that Jekyll believed there was a traitor in our midst.

The first was the "squadron's" role in the overthrow of a Middle Eastern country's dictator. The article stated it had been facilitated via highly secretive monitoring of the man's inner circle. All true.

Second was the suggestion we were active in the early years of the Afghan war. Again, true. And that we also undertook reconnaissance missions targeting war criminals. Not only targeted; they were eliminated.

The amount of accurate information versus inaccurate left Jekyll perplexed. His response? We closed ranks, and only his most trusted team members were privy to his intended methods for exposing a mole in our midst. I was on the inside. Saint was not.

Niven St. Thomas was a dichotomy, much like the report itself. He excelled in many areas of expertise essential to being part of the unit. Most notably, high-level surveillance in foreign countries and identifying and tracking targets for operations.

Where he proved to be critically incompetent was hot extractions of undercover operatives. It was on one such mission that Jekyll, myself, and several other agents assigned to an op near the border of Russia and Ukraine were surrounded by FSS–or Federal Security Service—assassins. Our covers had been blown minutes before we extracted five of Russia's "enemies of the state."

When we sent an 1199 , it was up to Saint to get us out alive. Instead, only two of us survived—Rile and me—and the only reason I did was because he'd pulled me away from Jekyll, who was already dead, and forced me into the Akicita rescue helicopter seconds before we were both killed.

We lost six of our team that day, along with all five assets we were sent in to extract.

After a formal inquiry into the failed mission concluded, Saint was removed from the unit. Neither Rile nor I received a copy of the internal affair's findings, so what exactly had happened that day, we'd never know. Every effort I'd made to get my hands on it was blocked. Even Z wasn't able to help me.

Rile's theory was that one of the six operatives lost was the mole. I couldn't accept that possibility. From the day it happened to now, and likely until the day I died, I blamed Saint—the same man who was approaching my car, eyes ablaze with rage. I exited my vehicle and walked toward him with my hand firmly on my gun.

"My wife and unborn child are in surgery. Do you really think I'd be armed, you fucking arsehole?" he shouted when we were within a few yards of each other.

I lowered my hand.

"I'm here to tell you to leave."

I studied him. "I will do so when I hear it from Eliza."

He stepped closer and got in my face. "I'm telling you to get in your fucking car, return to whatever hellhole you crawled out of, and forget you ever met my cousin."

"As I said."

"I have forbidden her to see you again. Whatever sick game you're playing as a means to get back at me ends now."

"My interest in Eliza is in spite of you, not because of you."

"I don't believe a word that comes from your filthy mouth. You either stay away, or I will tell her exactly who you are and what you do."

"You'll be charged with treason." I looked past him and saw Eliza approaching.

He shook his head. "I don't care. Stay the hell away from her. If you don't, I'll fucking kill you," he seethed.

"Niven? What's going on?" asked Eliza.

He spun around, stormed past her, and went inside.

"Levi? What did Niv say to you?" she asked, stepping closer.

"He told me I could leave, but I refused, saying I'd wait to speak with you."

Her eyes scrunched. "Was that all?"

I reached for her hand. "He's terribly worried about his wife and baby. I am the easiest target to lash out at. I'm sure his anger will subside once he knows they're okay."

"It's what I came to tell him. The surgery was successful, and he'll be able to see Harper soon." Her eyes bored into mine. "I could've sworn I heard him threaten to kill you."

"I've no doubt you misunderstood."

She studied me. "I did come out to tell you it's okay to leave."

"Where will you stay?" I asked.

"Here with Niven, for now."

"Once Harper is released, I doubt your cousin will be able to leave her for the length of time it would take to go round trip to London."

"I can take the train."

I stepped forward so I was close enough to touch her. When she didn't back away, I cupped her cheek. "I have business in Shere. When you're ready to leave, I'll return and drive you."

She smiled. "I'm too tired to argue with you, Levi. We'll speak tomorrow if that's all right with you."

"Of course." I kissed her forehead, each cheek, then her lips before putting my hands on her forearms. "If there's anything at all you need, please let it be me you call upon."

"My bag." She motioned to my vehicle.

"Right. I'll carry it inside for you."

She smiled. "It doesn't weigh much. I can manage."

Not wanting to run into Saint and further exacerbate things between us, I relented.

"Thanks ever so much," Eliza said, waving before she turned to go inside.

"Wait!" I shouted, rushing forward. "Something to remember me by." I kissed her the same way I had in the car on our way here. It was rough, deep, and demanding. "Now, kiss me," I said, tearing my lips from hers.

"What do you mean? I did."

I shook my head. "I showed you how I like it. Now, you show me."

Her eyes flamed as she grasped my neck to pull me closer. Her lips and tongue were tentative at first. Then she nipped my bottom lip. When I opened to her, her mouth was soft and sensual, pressing deeper but not with the same unabandoned urgency as mine.

When, like tonight, I gave her a turn at being in charge when we made love, I had no doubt this would be the way she'd seduce me. I fucking loved it.

The time it took me to get even halfway from Royal Sussex General Hospital to the command center in Shere was painful. My cock throbbed with desire for Eliza, and my arms ached to hold her, touch her. Even my heart hurt, not knowing when I'd see her again.

"Typhon," Kima answered my call.

"Hello, Delfino. How are you?" I teased.

"Annoyed."

"That is apparent. By whom?"

"Do you need to ask?"

I wasn't sure what she had against Oleander, but her animosity for the woman was ever present. It wasn't that they did, or would ever, compete for a job. Kima had no interest in joining Unit 23, and if she did, I would've dissuaded her.

"Tell me you're not jealous of her and Poseidon."

"You can't be serious."

"You are his second-in-command."

She muttered something in Maltese.

"What was that?" I asked.

"By default. There was no one else from MSI he could trust."

She was right. Malta Secret Intelligence was rife with corruption, something my brother and I had discussed in our most recent conversation.

"Tell me what has you annoyed."

"It isn't just her, although she is a bitch of epic proportions. I feel useless."

Kima was a certified trauma counselor, which had been a tremendous asset after the women who were held captive at Mithras' villa were rescued. I could understand why she felt antsy. I had to limit the time I spent in Shere, or I'd go mad with boredom.

The way the coalition operated was the antithesis of how Unit 23 performed their missions. Then again, we didn't do yearslong investigations, and with the exception of Oleander, none of the task force members were assassins.

"You must have called for more than to ask how I'm feeling," Kima prompted.

"I'm driving up from Alfriston and may need to return there tomorrow."

"If you need a place to stay, I'll leave the door open. I'm tired, so I may not be awake when you arrive."

"Much appreciated. I'll try not to wake you."

She chuckled. "Sure you will."

I valued the invitation. I'd rather not have to interact with anyone other than Kima while there. I did have to touch base with Oleander and Verity, but I could schedule a time and place for them to come to me.